Credit or information storage apparatus



March 29, 1960 n. H. BURNS 2,930,454

CREDIT OR INFORMATION STORAGE APPARATUS Filed Nov. 9, 1953 |618 29 51 53ATTORNEYS CREDIT GR INFQRMATION STORAGE APPARATUS David H. Burns, LosAngeles, Calif., assigner, by mestre assignments, to Paramount PicturesCorporation, New York, NX., a corporation of New York ApplicationNovember 9, 1953, Serial No. 391,976

8 Claims. (Cl. 194-t) "The present invention relatesr to novel'means andtechniques for storing information and making this information availableon demand at a future time. VMore specifically, the present inventionrelates to a coin-operated mechanism which incorporates means wherebyany overpayment of a coin demandis automatically stored as a credit forfuture use. y v

While the present invention is described in connection with subscriptiontelevision systems of the character described in the copending patentapplication of Gottfried, et al., Serial No. 225,651, tiled May l0,1951, and assigned to the present assignee, now Patent No. 2,769,026, itis clear that VVcertain aspects of the present invention are notnecessarily limited to use in such subscription television system, buthave broader applicationV in any,`

entinvention, incorporates means whereby any overpayment of the coindemand or debt is automatically stored as a credit, which may be appliedto the debt of a second cycle of operation at a later time. Another suchsystem has been described and claimed in an application, Serial No.389,034, tiled October 29, 1953, by this inventor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means and techniquesfor accomplishing the above-indicated functions and results.

Another object of the presentinvention is to provide means andtechniques whereby any overpayment of a demand may be stored after acycle' of demand satisfaction operation has been4 completed so that thiscredit may be applied to the debt of a second cycle of operation at alater time. Y

Another object of the present invention is to provide apparatus of thecharacter described capable of incorporation in the translatingapparatus of a subscription television system.

The above objects of the invention are accomplished by providingapparatus wherein two members may be displaced relative to each otheragainst a force when the driven one of the two members is impeded. Meansare provided for retaining that displacement and of releasing the energystored by the displacement toreduce that relative displacement in amanner to reduce the displacement of the driven one of the two membersrelative to a stop position. g 4

The features of the present inventionwhich are believed tobe novel arevset forth with particularity in the appended claims. This inventionitself, both as to Aits organization and manner of operation, togetherwith further objects and advantages thereof, may be best 2 v junderstood by reference to the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a planview of the invention; j

Figure 2 is a cross section of the invention as shown in Figure 1 alongthe lines 2 2; and

Figure 3 is a detail of a ratchet spring used in the embodiment of theinvention.

Briefly, as described in the above-mentioned copend ing application toGottfried, et al., now Patent No.` 2,769,026, a subscription televisionsystem of the typev with which the subject invention is intended to beused incorporates a television receiver having aA cathode-ray` tube andassociated unscrambling or decoding apparatus which is selectivelyconnected tothe receiver through Vla relay switch. Normally, the switchis in a position to decouple the decoding apparatus from the televisionset. Accordingly, a so-called nonstandard or scrambled transmissionresults in a so-called scrambled vunintelligible or unavailable pictureonthe face of the cathode-ray tube and a normal or standard transmissionresults in a clear picture on the face of the cathode-ray tube.

ln the case of the so-called nonstandard or scrambled transmission, itis necessary that the`unscrambling Vor decoding-apparatusbe coupled tothe television set to cause a clear picture on the'face of thecathode-ray tube. This is accomplished by energizing the relay switch tocouple the decoder to the receiver, in which case an output developed`in thereceiver is applied to the`unscrambling or decoding-apparatus,and theroutput'of the apparatus is returned to the receiver to clarifythe picture shownV on the cathode-ray tube screen.

For revenue purposes, the -relay winding is not energized and thereforethe decoder is .not coupled to the receiver unless -a coin demand hasbeen acknowledged or satisfied. Such coin demand may be established by-Vthe vprogram transmitting station in a number of ways..v

OneV of these is to transmit pulses which are received. by thev receiverand-applied to a solenoid which vis ener,- gized responsive to eachpulse. This succesisve solenoidv energization can be used, inkwellknownmnnefr', to

rotate a Awheel a given amount for each pulse thus Yestab-V lishing aVcoin demand as an angle of 'rotation' off-,a wheel, or a bar may belaterally moveda given amount for each solenoid energization Vthusestablishing Va Vcoin ,demand as the, lateral distance moved by a bar.fStill another system is to directthewamount and Adirection of rotationof-a motor by the pulses being transmitted.

remote vcontrol fields. However, they/are recited since they-areexemplary of apparatus whichV may be used in conjunction with thepresent invention. Accordingly, Y

Reference is now made to Figures j1 andr2 of thedrawing for theexplanation of the operation andprinciples involved in my invention. j.A V

Two discs 10, 20r orwheelsA are employed, one of which 10 has a smallerdiameter than the other 20, The smaller diameterrdisc may be termed ,acreditV indicating disc 10, and the larger diameter disc may Ybe'termedf'a y demand indicating disc 20. Both discs` have stops 12, 22,

which are positionedsothat they can vabut one another.

The purpose of these abutting stops is torprovide a ntechanicallposition repr'esentative of zero credit.V A torsiorif` ,spring 30 isconnected between the twoVK discs Yin aimanner to urge the demand disc20Vj counterclo'ckwise lw'itlfi- VIn vany jevent, these mechanisms arenot partfof .the present 'invention as they are well known `intheautomatic fandrespect to the credit dise 10. In this manner when nodriving torques are applied to operate the discs, the torsion spring 30maintains them with their stops 12, 22 in an abutting position.

The torsion spring 30 is attached to the credit disc 10 through theexpedient of a hole 11 into which one end is inserted and bent. Ahousing 24 Vis fastened to the demand disc 20 and supports it. Thehousing is rotatably mounted on a bearing 26 on a common shaft 32. Theother end of the torsion spring is fastened to the housing also by theexpedient of being passed through a hole therein and bent. The torsionspring is also selected to have a length so that when the two dials aremounted adjacent one another on a commonshaft 32 the spring is undercompression and therefore exerts a force against the credit dial whichwould move it outward away from the demand dialwere it not for anopposing force provided by a solenoid 35 which is energized to hold arod 37 against the credit'disc. The solenoid may be supported from theframe 34. The end of the rod is finished to permit the credit dial torotate with a minimum of sliding friction. VThe common shaft 32 isrotatably supported in two members of a retaining frame 34.

The demand disc 20 has marked near its outer periphery graduated amountsof coinage 27, starting with a zero or a paid marking. On the outerperiphery of the demand disc is mounted a stop 29 which, when the discis in the paid position with reference to an indicator 31, abuts anotherfixed indicator stop 38 which supports the indicator 31. This preventscountercloekwise rotation of the demand disc past the paid" position.The over-all width of these two stops 29, 38 must be such as to permiteither the blank space or the paid position to come under the indicatingwindow. On the demand disc spaced around a circle are a plurality ofapertures 28. (These are shown with dotted lines in Figure l.) Theseapertures are equal in number to the number of coinage amounts which aremarked on the demand disc plus one for the blank space position. Thecredit disc has attached thereto, as by studs 14, a ratchet spring 16.This consists of a at spring which is bent substantially at a rightangle to pass through a single hole 18 in the credit disc. The bentportion is suciently long to engage any one of the apertures 28 in thedemand disc 20 when the credit disc is in an engaging position axiallyrelative to the demand disc.

To maintain this engaging position the solenoid 35 is provided aspreviously indicated. The solenoid 35 is maintained energized from apower source 39 through a closed credit switch 41. The credit disc 10 isrelatively non-rotatably mounted on a hub 52 which has a key 54. Thiskey engages a key-way 56 on the main shaft. The key-way 56 is somewhatlonger than the key on the hollow shaft, so that, under urging of thespring 30, axial movement of the credit disc awav from the demand discis made possible when the solenoid 35 isde-energized by opening thecredit switch. Such outward motion of the credit disc should besuliicient to permit the ratchet spring 16 to be disengaged from any ofthe holes on the demand disc. The credit disc outer periphery hasratchet teeth 43 which are engaged by a pawl 45 which is urged toprevent clockwise motion of the dial unless the solenoid 47 is excitedto move the pawl 45 away. The pawl 45 of the release solenoid 47 is madebroad enough so that it is still in engagement with the ratchet teethwhen the credit disc is moved outwardly. A clock spring 49 has one endfastened to the housing 34 and the other end to the housing 24 in amanner to urge the demand dial clockwise to the position where the blankposition on the dial is under the indicating aperture 31.

A detail of the end of the ratchet spring 16 with fragmentary portionsof the discs to show its relation thereto is shown in Figure 3. Theratchet spring 16 has its end 62 at an angle so that, when the creditdisc is moved counterclockwise and the demand disc is maintainedstationary, the ratchet spring is enabled to move into and out of theapertures in the demand disc. Such operation occurs by reason of thedeection of the camming edge 62 of the ratchet spring, which causes itto slide over the surface of the demand disc.

For an explanation of the operation of the system, let it be assumedthat a scrambled program is being transmitted for which it is desired tocharge 30 to any subscriber who desires to view the program. Thestarting position of the apparatus is, as shown in Figure 1, with theblank position on the demand dial under the indicating aperture 31 andthe ratchet spring 16 extends into the opening under the paid positionon the demand dial. Impulscs are transmitted from the transmitter in amanner which may be found to be described in the above mentioned patentto Gottfried, et al. These are detected at the subscribers receiver andapplied to apparatus, which may be termed a coin demand mechanism 64 andmay be one of the types previously described, which serves to convertthese pulses into the rotational energy required to Vdrive the commonshaft in a counterclockwise direction. By reason of the key-way attachedto the shaft the credit disc is driven in a counterclockwise directionthrough an angle. The extent of this angle as determined by the coindemand mechanism, is suicient to establish 30 on the demand disc underthe indicating stop. The torsion spring 30 sufficiently couples thecredit and demand disc to overcome the force for spring 49 and insurethat the rotation in a counterclockwise direction of the credit disccarries therewith the demand disc. Ratchet spring 16 accordingly remainsengaging the paid hole in the demand disc when the demand disc has beenrotated to the 30p demand position. In setting up the 30p demand, energyis imparted to the clock spring 49. The spring is prevented fromreturning the discs clockwise to the starting condition by reason of thepawl 45 engaging the ratchet teeth 43.

Accordingly, the two discs are in a relative position so that there iszero credit and 300 is demanded in order to actuate a decoder (notshown) for the scrambled program. The coin demand satisfaction mechanism66, which is shown in Figure 2, represented by a rectangle, serves toreceive the coinage which the subscriber must pay in order to see theprogram. Upon payment of the required 30, the coin demand satisfactionmechanism, which is coupled to the shaft 32, provides rotational energyto drive the common shaft counterclockwise. This drives thecredit disc,and, in view of the effect of the torsion spring and the ratchet spring,the demand disc is carried therewith. The counterclockwise drive placesthe demand disc with paid under the indicating stop and the stop 29 onthe periphery of the demand disc abuts the indicating stop 38. Coindemand satisfaction mechanism of a suitable type is found describedabove. It is well within theskill of those versed in the art to causethe actuation of a microswitch (not shown) so that when the apparatusreaches the paid position, after the satisfaction of demand, the switchis closed and the dec oder is made to operate to render the scrambledprogram being transmitted intelligible to the viewer.

Now let it be assumed that a demand of 30s/f has been established andthe subscriber does not have the correct change, but has a 50-centpiece. The subscriber then deposits this amount of money in the coinreceptacle of the coin demand satisfaction mechanism. This provides asufficient drive to the drive shaft to cause counterclockwise rotationof the shaft through an arc which can be considered representative ofthe deposit of the 50c. The demand disc is carried by the credit disccounterclockwise to its paid position. The demand disc cannot rotate anyfurther in the counterclockwise direction in view of the abutment of thestop at its outer periphery with the indicating stop. The credit disc,however, can continue its motion in a counterclockwise direction withthe ratchet spring moving out of the holes in view of its camming edge,until there is a relative angular displacement between credit and demanddiscs equivalent to 204i on the demand disc. The common shaft is drivenwith suicient energy by the coin demand mechanism to overcome theopposing force provided by the torsion spring 30. The ratchet spring 16drops into the hole on the demand disc which is opposite the 20a marker.The demand and credit discs are held in a relative position orangle'with respect to oneanother, which is indicative of an overpaymentof the demand by 209?. This relative disposition of the two discs may beconsidered as a storage position in which the angle is indicative of theoverpayment. To an extent, the energy which is stored in the torsionspring by the relative displacement of the two discs may also beconsidered as a storage of the overpayment.

At the termination of a program, on signal from the transmitting stationrelated electronic equipment momentarily energizes thel solenoid 47,thus withdrawing the pawl 45 and enabling the clock spring 49 to returnthe demand disc to the position shown in Figure l with the blank spot onthe dial under the indicator stop.

The overpayment or credit remains stored, since, in view of theengagement of the ratchet spring 16 with the demand disc aperture, thecredit disc is carried with the demand disc in its same relativeposition still storing the overpayment thereby. When it is desired toestablish a new demand for unscrambling another program to betransmitted, again, in the manner as previously described, the coindemand mechanism is actuated to rotate the shaft in a counterclockwisedirection till the dial indicator shows the amount to be charged forviewing the program.

By reason of the ratchet spring engaging the 20e aperture of the demanddisc, rotation of the credit disc rotates the demand disc. The coindemand mechanism thus rotates both discs still maintained with theirrelative angular displacement until the amount required or demanded forviewing the program, for example e, comes under the indicating aperture.

If the subscriber wishes to use his credit toward satisfying theestablished demand, he has but to throw the switch 41 which de-energizesthe holding solenoid 35. The combined torsion and compression spring isnow free to move the credit disc outwardly away from the demand disc adistance sufficient to permit withdrawal of he ratchet spring from the20c credit aperture inthe demand disc. When this occurs, the demand discis driven in a counterclockwise direction by the torsion spring todissipate the Venergy stored in the torsion spring and to reduce thedemand angle by an amount equivalent to 20e.

The demand disc is stopped in this instance by the abutment of its stopwith that on the credit disc. This occurs when there is Zero creditestablished. The credit disc is held so that the demand disc can berotated by the torsion spring by reason of a mechanical stop -66 whichis positioned to engage the ratchet Vteethon the stored in the kmannerpreviously described, to be credited against a subsequent program andcan be used subsequently as desired. By regarding the indicatingaperture, the lamount of `coin demand remaining required to view aprogram is shown. The credit switch is merely exemplary of apparatuswhich may be used. Y The credit release solenoid may be deenergized byusing a microswitch which is operated by deposit of the first coin tosatisfy a demand or in any other manner desired. equalize the axialforces applied more than one ratchet spring is used, and, in theembodiment of the invention which was built, three springs disposed at120 with, reference to each other was found satisfactory.

Accordingly, there has been described and shown here- `or`yieldablybiasing said demand-indicating means and said credit-indicating meansfor maintaining a rst relative position representative of no credit,means for establlshmg a paid-up demand position for rsaid movabledemandindicating means,.rst means for holding saidVmovabledemand-indicating means against motion in one direction f atsaid paid-up demand position, means for moving said credit disc when itis pushed outward by the torsion spring.

This stop also serves the purpose of preventing the credit disc frombeing driven into a credit position againrby Y reason of the energy withwhich the demand disc strikesV the stop 12 of the credit disc. Arequirement of the torsion spring is that it should be stronger than theclock spring so that the demand disc can be driven against the force ofthe clock springwhen credit is being used. It should be clear now thatif the demand disc reaches its paid position before using up all thecredit, the ratchet spring on the credit disc will drop into a hole onthe demand disc whenever the two discs stop their relative motion.Otherwise, it drops into the hole under the paid marking on .the disc.Of course, the two discs must be moved in position for the ratchetspring to engage the demand disc. This occurs when the credit switch isclosed, permitting the credit release solenoid to become energized againwhereby the solenoid rod pushes theA credit disc into its initialposition again. Any overpayment of the demand for viewing the secondprogram 1s credit-indicating means in said one direction when saiddemand-indicating means is held by said means for holding to a secondposition `relative toV said demand-indicating'` ,v means representativeof a credit, second means forholdmg said creditand demand-indicatingmeans in said second relative position, means for positioning saidcreditand demand-indicating means held in said second relative positionat a demand location away from said paid-up demand position, means forinactivating said second means for holding, and third means for holdingsaid creditindicating vmeans at said'detnand location when said secondmeans for holding is inactivated whereby said means for yieldablybiasing said demandand credit-indicating means can move 4saidVdemand-indicating means in said one direction to said iirst relativeposition when said demand-indicating means is not held by said firstmeans for holding. Y Y Y v 2. In a subscription television system ofthetype wherein a subscriber receiver has a coinboxrwhich has means toestablish a coin demand for viewing a programmearn.l

for receiving coinfor "satisfying said coin demand, and

means for enabling said program to be viewed upon sat-7 isfaction ofsaid coin demand,vv the improvement in lsaid coinbox comprising amovable coin-demand-indicating means, means for moving saidcoin-demand-indicating means inone direction to reduce an indicated coindemand thereby, :a movable credit-indicating means, means for yieldablybiasing said coin demand and credit-indicating means to a relative iirstposition representative of no meansfor maintaining said coin-demandaudcredit-indicating means in said relative second position, means forrendering inoperative said means for maintaining when a coin demand issubsequently established by said coindemand-indicatingmeans for viewinganother program, means for holding said credit-indicating meansstationary v when said means for rendering inoperative isV operatedwhereby said means for yieldably biasing restores said coin-demandandcredit-indicating means v.to Vtheir In order toV aneddoti 7 relativeposition thereby reducing the coin demand by the amount of the creditstored.

3. In a system for receiving and reproducing program material from aprotected transmission of a composite signal and including translatingmeans actuatable upon payment of a demanded cost to render availablesaid program material, the improvement in said translating meanscomprising means establishing a cost-indicating position,cost-indicating means having a plurality of different program-costmarkings followed by a paid marking thereon, means for supporting saidcost-indicating means for moving the markings thereon successively pastsaid cost-indicating position, means for preventing further motion ofsaid cost-indicating means in one direction when said paid marking is atsaid cost-indicating position, an overpayment-indicating means, meansyieldably coupling said overpayment-indicating means and saidcost-indicating means for maintaining a first relative position,releasable means coupled between said overpayment-indicating means andsaid cost-indicating means to prevent motion of saidoverpayment-indicating means in a direction opposite to said onedirection relative to said cost-indicating means, means for moving saidoverpayment-indicating means in said one direction a distance to movetherewith said cost-indicating means to position a desired one of saidprogram-cost markings at said cost-indicating position, means for movingsaid overpayment-indicating means a distance in said one directionrepresentative of a payment whereby upon an overpayment further motionof said cost-indicating means in said one direction is prevented whensaid paid marking is at said cost-indicating position by said means forpreventing further motion and said overpayment-indicating means is movedto a position relative to said cost-indicating means representative ofthe overpayment, means for moving said costand overpayment-indicatingmeans held in said overpayment relative position in an oppositedirection away from said costindicating position, and means for holdingsaid overpayment-indicating means and for releasing said releasablemeans when a desired one of said program-cost markings is at saidcost-indicating position again for enabling said cost-indicating meansto be moved by said yieldable means in said one direction tore-establish said first relative position.

4. In a subscription television system of the type wherein a subscriberreceiver has a coinbox wherein coins are deposited to meet a coin demandrequired for viewing a program, an improved coinbox having ademand-indicat ing disc, a credit-indicating disc, a shaft, meansmounting said credit-indicating disc for rotation by said shaft, meansfor rotatably mounting said demand-indicating disc coaxially with saidcredit-indicating disc, spring means attached to said discs foryieldably biasing them to a relative no-credit position, means forrotating said shaft in one direction responsive to deposit of coins insaid coinbox, means establishing an initial angular position for saiddemand-indicating disc, means for preventing further rotation in onedirection of said demand-indicating disc when it is rotated in said onedirection through a predetermined angle relative to said initial angularposition indicative of attaining a coin-demand-satisfaction position,means for holding said credit-indicating disc in any position to whichit is rotated relative to said demand-indicating disc when saiddemand-indicating disc is at its coindemand-satisfaction position, meansfor rotating said demandand credit-indicating discs held in said rotatedrelative position in the direction of its initial angular position,means for releasing said means for holding said credit-indicating disc,and means for holding said creditindicating disc when said means forreleasing said means for holding is operative to enable said springmeans to rotate said demand-indicating disc in said one direction tothereby reduce the angle between a subsequently established initialangular position and the coin-demand-satisfaction positionrepresentative of a reduction in the 8 amount of coin demand for viewinga subsequent program.

5. In a subscription television system of the type wherein a subscriberreceiver has a coinbox with means for receiving signals from atransmitter for establishing a coin demand, means for receiving coin forsatisfying said coin demand, and means for enabling said program to beviewed upon satisfaction of said coin demand, the improvement in saidcoinbox comprising a rst disc, a second disc, both said discs beingindependently mounted for rotation on a common axis, price markingsspaced around the outside of said second disc comprising a paid markingfollowed in a counterclockwise direction by a plurality of successivelyincreasing price markings, a stop on each of said discs positioned toabut one another to prevent respective independentcounterclockwise-clockwise rotation of said first and second disc onlylwhen in abutting relationship, a torsion and compression spring couplingsaid two discs and yieldably biasing them to establish their stops in anabutting position and to move apart axially, means for holding said twodiscs in position axially against the axial force of said torsion andcompressing spring, means for establishing a price-viewing position forsaid second disc, means responsive to signals for rotating said firstdisc clockwise until a desired price marking on said second disc ispositioned at said price-marking position, means responsive to coinbeing received for rotating said first disc clockwise until said paidmarking is at said price-marking position, means for preventing furtherclockwise rotation of said second disc when said paid marking is at saidprice-marking position despite continued rotation of said first disc,means for holding said first and second disc in the relative positionassumed upon termination of continued clockwise rotation of said firstdisc after said second disc paid marking is at said price-markingposition, means actuatable at the termination of a program to rotatesaid first and second discs together counterclcckwise until the highestprice marking on said second disc has passed said price-viewingposition, means operable to inactivate said means for holding said twodiscs in position axially and said means for holding said first andsecond disc upon subsequent establishment of said second disc with adesired price marking at said price-marking position, and means forpreventing said rst disc from rotating when said means for holding saidtwo discs in position axially and said first and second disc isinactivated to thereby permit said torsion and compression spring torotate said second disc counterclockwise to reduce the coin demand bythe amount of credit stored by said deviation of said first and seconddiscs from their stop abutment position.

6. A subscription television system as recited in claim 5 wherein saidmeans to hold said first and second discs in their respective positionsincludes a plurality of apertures spaced on the circumference of acircle on said second disc the number of said apertures corresponding tothe number of increments of coinage to be represented by deviations ofsaid second disc from said stop position, a ratchet spring fastened atone end to said first disc and bent at an angle from said first disc andextending sufficiently therefrom to engage said second disc at any oneof said apertures when said first disc is rotated past the zero stopposition of said second disc, and means to maiutain said first andsecond discs in their relative axial positions during their creditstorage deviation.

7. A subscription television system as recited in claim 6 wherein saidmeans to maintain said first and second discs in their relativepositions during their credit storage deviation comprises a solenoid andsolenoid plunger positioned to urge said first disc in ratchet springengaging position when said solenoid is excited.

8. A subscription television system as recited in claim 5 wherein saidrst disc has ratchet teeth on the periphery thereof, a pawl engagingsaid ratchet teeth to prevent rotation in one direction, a clock springcoupled to said second disc to urge said credit disc in said clockwisedirection, a solenoid operatively connected to said pawl to disengagesaid pawl from said ratchet teeth when excited, and a stop positioned toengage the ratchet teeth of said rst disc when it is moved axially outof engaging position with said second disev by said torque compressionspring.

1,336,628 Hughes Apr. 13, 1920 10 Y t Hornby Iam-14, 1930 SutherlandJune 29, 1943 Hokanson Oct. 24, 1950 Zworykin July 31, 1956 Loew Oct.30, 1956 DelRiccio Oct. 30, 1956

